The deal has been signed and sealed for the delivery of a completely new look Hounslow town centre by summer 2018.

Developers Barratt London signed the agreement this week for the £100 million regeneration project, with works expected to start in April 2016.

Council leader Jagdish Sharma gleefully put pen to paper on the contract which is also a partnership with another Barratts owned brand Wilson Bowden.

The developers were awarded the contract by the council in November last year , in what will be the first major development in the high street for over 20 years.

Councillor Steve Curran, cabinet member for housing, planning and regeneration, said the signing of the agreement was a milestone in the borough's regeneration and Hounslow town centre's future.

Mr Curran said: "The High Street Quarter development is the cornerstone of our regeneration strategy and will also act as a catalyst to bring further growth and prosperity to the town and the borough."

Town centre redevelopment plans include a new multi-screen cinema, 400 homes, dozens of shops and restaurants, a public square and underground car park.

Alastair Baird, regional managing director for Barratt London, said: "We have built up an excellent relationship with Hounslow over the last few years through our work at Great West Quarter (the new estate on the A4 at Brentford) and we are delighted to be chosen as their partner for this hugely important town centre regeneration project."

Barratts was previously in partnership with Brentford Football Club to develop a new stadium at Lionel Road South where it had bought land in 2008.

It put the deal on hold for a year in 2010 and then pulled the plug on the project entirely in January 2011 blaming the economic downturn for making it unviable.

Brentford owner Matthew Benham subsequently purchased the land from Barratts in June 2012 and is now in partnership with rival developer Willmott Dixon to create a 20,000 seater stadium and 910 flats on site.